Three Wishes
by AwesomeSaucelv8
Summary: In a faraway land, a prince is banished, a plot is schemed, a woman is forced to run away with a mute boy and humanity is on the brink of war. And this is just the beginning. Tying all these events in place is the Wishstone, which can grant wishes to the person who finds it first. More than one party has its eyes on the prize, and Luka is determined to get there first. (GakuLuka)


**The belated (or early, however you like to think of it) story for Ten-Faced. This is just a little preview, a teaser, as you will. Enjoy.**

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NONE OF THE CHARACTERS, though I do own any languages other than English used, as well as place names, plot ideas and any mythology mentioned.**

**Warnings: May contain violence, mature references and minor blood and gore. No fairytales, here.**

* * *

A girl sat by the street. She took little bites from an apple from time to time.

She had stolen that apple, not that she'd admit it.

The bustling city of Paladinus paid no mind to the little street girl. There were more important things to do.

The girl finished her apple and stood up slowly, like a cat might.

"Nothing to do today, eh?" She said, to nobody in particular. She pulled her beanie further down over her jet-black hair, and moved away with the crowd.

In a certain corner shop, the girl found herself an empty table. Some women from the table over gave her condescending looks, but continued with their worthless gossip anyway.

"Did you hear?" One lady in pink asked, punctuating every word. "The princess has a suitor."

The lady in green laughed politely behind her hand. "Of course she would, that troublesome tomboy. I would think that King Leon, may he reign forever, would want his daughter to grow up a bit?"

"I would love to have a man climb up _my_ wall every night… It would be so romantic…"

"Of course you would say that, Miriam."

They laughed, and the girl put her head in her hands. People were so… fake, empty.

"Hay!"

The girl looked up, knowing the greeting was addressed to her. Sure enough, a small blonde boy was approaching her. This was her informant?

"Hallo there!" The boy helped himself to a chair, pulling a crisp, clean apple from his bag. "Apple?"

The girl politely declined. The boy took a bite and there was a heavy pause while he chewed.

"It's not that cold, you know."

The girl pulled her headgear further down, completely covering her ears now.

"I know."

"Is it to cover your hair?"

"Something like that."

There was another pause as the boy took another bite.

"Your brother, yeah?"

It took a moment for the girl to realise he was talking about business again.

"Yes," She nodded, slightly.

"I found where they might be keeping 'im." The boy twirled his apple core on one finger.

"You want a price, don't you?" The girl's lip curled in obvious contempt.

"Of course! I'm Oliver! I don't give stuff like this out for free! How else would I make a living?" Oliver chuckled.

"I heard the king's lookin' real hard for something," The boy began, putting his feet up on the table. "Something really precious. I wonder, if one were to find that, could someone… obliterate an entire race?"

The girl flinched, the words cutting deeper than expected.

"That's what I heard. That's why they'd 'a' taken your brother." Oliver smirked, now, knowing he was going to eat well tonight.

"I could tell you more if you paid."

The girl, who had sworn not to stoop down to this level, sighed and placed a palm on the table.

"What do you need?"

Oliver smiled.

"I'd love something to eat, thanks. Coffee. And maybe a cake."

* * *

The chef of the small street café was very busy that day. It seemed that a lot of ladies wanted tea and coffee to gossip over as they talked about the Royal Happenings.

He slumped further over, wishing that his life consisted of more than just a coffee shop. He wished he could have the time and money to do nothing but gossip all day. Of course, he'd have to be a wife to do that. Which was impossible if you were a man.

All of a sudden, his cakes looked really quite delicious. He looked slyly around. No one was looking. Maybe he could just…

A small hand snatched his pastry right before his eyes.

"Wha-? Hey, get back here, you little thief!"

Women screamed as they skittered around, holding up their valuables as if a mouse was scurrying across the room.

The girl dodged through a man's legs and exited the shop in a flurry. The boy joined her in her escape and led her through a back alley and into a nice, little space between two buildings. The roar of the bustling crowd was quietened indefinitely.

"Nice." Oliver said, and he took the drink and the pastry from her hands. She waited impatiently for him to finish both, and he gave her the empty cup.

"Thanks. Now, about that brother of yours…" Oliver cast his gaze over her shoulder. "Let's get somewhere more secure."

They did just that, finding an old, abandoned house. Every step the girl made, the floor creaked and groaned. She never was fond of old buildings.

"Here's good enough." Oliver stopped. "Now, what rumours have you heard about the Royal family?"

The girl stopped, pursed her lips and looked right into Oliver's eyes with her own amber ones.

"What trickery is this?"

Oliver smiled, or smirked, and spread his hands out, palms upwards. "None. I just wanna know."

The girl looked suspicious for but a moment, before relaying what she had heard over the past few days.

"I heard, from rumours, you know, that… King Leon- _May he reign forever-_" The girl barely managed to remember the traditional accompaniment, flustered. Oliver was nonplussed, if not scornful of the phrase. "-Disowned his son, Prince Gakupo… And that a mysterious street-rat has been suspected of visiting Princess Gumi, may her reign hold true, during the night. But that's all. I saw Prince Gakupo leaving town with a band of soldiers in red… And that's it."

Oliver looked amused. The girl held back whatever remark she was going to make, needing this boy's help.

"Half-true, I guess." Oliver flicked open a little device, a wooden box with a lid that made a curious ticking noise. "The real reason behind the disownment, though… That's something very interestin'. Would ya like to hear it?"

The girl nodded instantly, but drew back.

"Will it cost anything?"

"… No, I shouldn't think so." Oliver said at length. "No, I got my cake. And coffee. And… something else. You'll see."

The girl felt her hat falling off, and adjusted it.

"The prince, whatever you like to call 'im, was found guilty. Of what? Here's the real killer; He was found guilty of being born. Yup. He was born a Shifter. His powers haven't awakened yet, but hey, do the soothsayers ever lie? No, don't look that way, it was a rhetorical question. _They_ say he was found guilty of making Queen Lola sick like she is. Nearly dead, really."

Sounds of armour bounced across the walls of the alleyway. Guards.

"You never told me you had guards after you." The girl crouched down, coiling, poised to run.

"I don't. But if they see me then… yeah, we're in trouble."

Out of the window, the girl could see a small patrol of guards in black armour.

"They're looking for something…" The girl realised. Oliver smiled again, this time without any of the mirth reaching his eyes.

"They're looking for you. They hate the Fae."

The girl was frightened now, and fleeing seemed like a good plan.

"Hate the Fae?"

"Of course. Why else would there be an army dedicated to destroying them?"

The girl couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Destroying… them…?"

"Yup."

There was a pause as this information sunk in, and then a rush of movement as the girl fled, down, down the stairs and back to the outside…

"Oi! Rat! You stole my pastry!"

It was the man from the coffee shop earlier. Just her luck.

"She stole your pastry?" One of the guards turned to her. "You greedy little thief! I'll teach you to mess with the law!"

Her frozen legs jolted into action, carrying her away from the guards and angry men, to somewhere safe…

"Oi! Look at that! She's an elf! Catch her!"

The girl felt her head. Her beanie had fallen off in her hurry to escape! Her black hair whipped past her face, and her pointed ears were exposed. Her legs pumped a little harder.

"Get out of the way!" The guards screamed behind her. She could use her nimbleness to her advantage, ducking through the crowd, but she was in an unfamiliar part of town, and she couldn't keep this up forever.

Eventually, luck gave out on her and she could literally go no further. Looking around, she saw that the sheer, flat wall in front of her had a low windowsill which she could use to climb up to the second story…

But before she could reach her destination, a metal hand clamped down on her shoulder.

"Going somewhere, _elf_?" The guard spat. No amount of squirming could get her out of his iron grip.

"L-let me go!"

"You're coming with us, little girl."

The girl's heart was beating like a hummingbird, and her amber eyes widened. Her scream was cut short as the guards placed a blindfold around her eyes, and a gag around her mouth, and chains around her wrists.

The guard let out a satisfied sigh.

Today was turning out well, indeed.

* * *

**And that's all for now. I'm working on a cover right now, so as soon as that's done the first actual chapter should be out. Maybe.**

**Stick around, and I'll show you!**


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